


The Noble House of Black

by DiamondsxStags



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: non magical au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 11:10:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11781945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiamondsxStags/pseuds/DiamondsxStags
Summary: Narcissa hears a fight and eavesdrops. Later, she wishes she hadn't.





	The Noble House of Black

**Author's Note:**

> i originally wrote this as a writing sample for a modern, non magical marauders rp group when i was applying for narcissa. im still hugely proud of it and use it whenever an app calls for a writing sample.

The fight had been going on for hours and Narcissa hadn’t been able to get any sleep. She wasn’t sure what the fight was about, although considering it involved Andromeda there were a few possible topics to choose from; the fact that she was an absolute failure in the eyes of her parents, how she brought shame to the family, that she would never amount to anything and so on and so forth. While these fights had become part of Narcissa’s life, there was something different about this one. She could feel it. Her mother had never been this hysterical, nor had her father ever been this loud. Narcissa knew that when the fights happened, she had to leave her parents and Andromeda to it and blow off all of the steam that had accumulated until they went back to being cold to each other. But something told Narcissa that this fight wouldn’t end like that. Usually she didn’t give much thought to ridiculous notions like that, but being tired and on edge, she decided to make an exception.

Narcissa got out of bed and quietly tip toed out into the hallway. She followed the sound of raised of voices to the staircase at the end of the hallway. As quiet as a cat, Narcissa slowly went down a few steps, trying to find a good vantage point where she could look and listen without-

“YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BRAT!”

-Narcissa jumped and gripped the banister with both hands, her knuckles turning white. It seemed this would do well enough. Narcissa gingerly sat down on the steps, one hand still on the bannister, listening hard.

“Look at everything you have!” Her mother was screaming, almost sounding inhuman. “We have given you everything and this is how you repay us?! With betrayal?!”

“It isn’t betrayal to decide what I want to do with my life mother!” Andromeda snapped back. “Just because it doesn’t align with the twisted morals you and father have tried to shove down my throat-”

“Hold your tongue Andromeda!” Father’s voice was gruffer and growlier than usual and it sent a shiver down Narcissa’s spine.

“No! I’m sick of holding my tongue! And I’m sick of this family too!”

For a few moments, everything was silent. Narcissa held her breath and felt her whole body shake. Andromeda wasn’t saying what Narcissa thought she was saying as she?

“All my life it’s been rules and expectations and elitist bullshit and I’ve had enough!” Andromeda’s voice got louder and Narcissa found herself feeling afraid. “Look at what it’s done to Bellatrix! She’s become cruel and callous and it’s all because of how you two raised her! And Narcissa is on her way to becoming the same way!”

Narcissa’s eyes widened and she let go of the bannister, putting her hand over her mouth to muffle her gasp. Was that how Andromeda saw her? As a second Bellatrix in the making? But she wasn’t...was she? Shaking, Narcissa pulled her legs close to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself.

“You will not talk about your sisters like that!” It seemed that mother had found her voice and was back to using it against her middle child. “Especially since they behave better than you and turned out better!”

There was a short, disdainful, barking laugh and it took Narcissa a few moments to realize that Andromeda was the one who was laughing. “Turned out better?! Oh sure they turned out better, if by that you mean they turned out as little elitist snobs like you two!” Andromeda laughed again. “You know I’ve been working really hard with Narcissa, so that she wouldn’t turn out like Bella. But every time I feel like I’ve made progress she turns around and parrots back everything you two have taught her!”

“That’s because she’s a good daughter!” Narcissa felt a strong surge of love for her father when he said that. “She  _ listens _ !”

“She might be a good daughter but she’s going to be a shitty person if you two keep this up!” There was silence after this, and Andromeda’s words hung in the air. Narcissa considered going back to her room and tend to her eyes which had started to feel prickly, when Andromeda spoke up again.

“I can’t live under this roof any more.” Her sister sounded tired, like she had spent almost all of her energy and had little left to use. “It’s toxic and draining and I can’t do it any more.”

“Then leave.” Mother’s voice was low and cold. When she spoke like that, you knew she had reached the apex of her fury.

“I was planning on it.”

That was when Narcissa knew she had enough. She got up and practically ran up the stairs, still keeping quiet. When she reached the top of the staircase, she froze. Bella was there, leaning against a wall and smoking. The two sisters locked eyes and neither made a sound or moved. In the end, Bella smirked and took a drag from her cigarette. “I was wondering when she would do us all a favour and go.” The smoke left her mouth as she spoke, forming a cloud around her face. In that instant, Bella seemed to be something completely inhuman and suddenly Andromeda’s accusations of Bella being cold and callous didn’t seem so ridiculous. Narcissa said nothing. Bella’s smirk turned into a full Cheshire cat grin and she turned, walking calmly back to her room. Once she was out of sight, Narcissa broke into a sprint and when she reached her room, she closed her door firmly behind her, ignoring the wetness on her cheeks.

The next day, before breakfast, Narcissa crept back downstairs and went into the tapestry room. That room was considered the most important in the whole manor, as it had the whole Black family tree, dating all the way back to the family’s first days. Narcissa knew the tapestry like the back of her hand, and it didn’t take her long to find the section with her generation.

The first thing she saw was a large, ugly, mark in the tapestry that looked like a burn. The second thing she saw was Andromeda’s name beneath it.

In shock, Narcissa gently traced her finger along edges of the burn. It had completely swallowed up Andromeda’s face, like a black hole consuming a star. This was it then. Andromeda was really out of the family.

‘ _ Surely there was a better way to get rid of her face? This tapestry is hundreds of years old, and that burn has ruined it. _ ’

It took Narcissa a few moments to realize that that thought had been hers. It took her even longer to realize her hand was shaking, her vision was blurring, and her cheeks were wet again.

**Author's Note:**

> u can find me at borderlinemangle.tumblr.com and if u like what i do leave a kudos, a comment, and even check out my ko-fi page and throw me some dollars if u can!


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